We have made the first discourse, O Theophilus, of all the things that Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day when he was received into heaven, after by the Holy Spirit he had given commandment to the Apostles whom he had elected. To whom also he showed himself alive (after he had suffered) by many proofs, appearing to them, and speaking of the Kingdom of God, during forty days. And having gathered them together, he
commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but that they should wait for the promise of the Father, “Which,” he said, “you have heard from me.” — <440101>ACTS 1:1-4
BECAUSE our faith must be founded upon God and upon His truth, St.
Luke here declares that Jesus Christ did not send His Apostles to teach what seemed good to them; but He put His Word in their mouths, and He gave them certain instruction in it, in order that they might bear a faithful message; indeed, of which we would have no occasion to doubt. So then, when today the Gospel is preached to us, we ought to be assured that it is the charge which God committed to His Apostles, and that we must receive it all as coming from Him; as in fact it proceeds from Him. Yet in order that we may have greater reverence for the Gospel, it is said not only that Jesus Christ gave it, but that it was by the Holy Spirit. For although Jesus Christ is true natural Son of God, also He is man, and has assumed our flesh and our nature. Now under shadow of that (as the world is wicked) they tried to find pretext to despise this doctrine or not to hold it as so important. That is why St. Luke pronounces that what the Apostles have to teach proceeds not only from Jesus Christ, but it has also
proceeded from the Holy Spirit. We see now that the charge to preach the Gospel is Divine, and that it did not come from men, but from God Who established it.
However, we must also note that the summary of the Gospel is
comprehended in these two words: namely, what Jesus Christ taught and what He did, so that to be Christians, we must be instructed in this doctrine which was brought to us by Jesus Christ, and also that we may have complete confirmation. For not only has He spoken, but He has accomplished all things necessary for our salvation. Besides because the principal thing He did for our salvation is His death and His resurrection, consequently that is what is spoken of. St. Luke, then, says that Jesus Christ “after having suffered, showed Himself alive to His disciples,”
indeed, with many proofs. And not without cause; for when the promises of God will have been recited to us, our faith will always be in suspense, until we are assured of His grace. Wherefore we cannot be without the pledge which He gives us; namely, that Jesus Christ suffered for our redemption, and bore the pain due to our sins. We see, then, that St. Luke does not speak here in vain of proofs which were given to make us certain that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For this is what St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15.
“If Jesus Christ is not raised, our faith is futile, the Gospel is preached in vain, we have no more hope than beasts.” f225 By that we see that the end of our hope is that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. In fact, it is the victory which He acquired. Yes, to show us that He is master both of life and of death. (<451409>
Romans 14:9.) St. Paul says that Jesus Christ died for our sins, (<461503>1 Corinthians 15:3) and if He had remained in death, what hope could we have in Him? But behold His resurrection, which is the triumph He achieved over death, in order that we could hope in Him. St. Peter, to show us the confidence which we ought to have in Jesus Christ, affirms nothing else than His resurrection.
(<600103>
1 Peter 1:3.) Let us note, then, that when St. Luke says that Jesus Christ showed Himself alive, he speaks of a thing that was required for the assurance of our salvation. Wherefore, if we wish to have the principal thing of Christianity, we must accept this resurrection, by which He has acquired for us life and salvation, and by which He showed Himself to be the true Son of God.
Besides, let us learn also, since St. Luke says that Jesus Christ gave such proofs that He was raised, not at all to leave in doubt what has been so well proved by God. If, then, now we are not entirely persuaded of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, that comes from our ingratitude. For He did not intend that His resurrection should not be sufficiently indicated to us.
Also St. Luke uses a word which signifies an argument which leads to such a great proof. f226 In fact, we see how the gospel-writer labored on this. For when it comes to narrating the resurrection, they bring forth all the
circumstances, and then they recite so many testimonies, how He spoke, how He was touched; and they declared that it was not an apparition or vision, by which they could be troubled later. This, then, is what we must recognize, that since they so labored the point, we must not have any doubt about it, but it is proper for us to hold their account as entirely certain, since they have such proof. And yet upon this point where St.
Luke says that Jesus Christ showed Himself alive after He had endured death, and there had been such certain proofs, let us learn that we must have a foundation for it which can never be shaken. Also that, since He was victorious by His death, He now has His hand stretched out to lead us to salvation. And whenever we wish to have certainty of our faith, we must not come to any creatures, but we must behold as in a mirror, that just as Jesus Christ was raised and conquered death, He opened heaven in order for us to enter by His leading.
He adds that showing Himself He expounded the Kingdom of God with His friends. By which we have to note that the commission, which was given to those from whom we have the doctrine of the Gospel, was not by a word nor for a minute of time, but that for a long time they were
instructed, as it was fitting. And having received a complete teaching, and an authority to distribute it, they have faithfully announced it to us. That is what must be noted in his word. Now it says that Jesus Christ showed Himself to His Apostles, and that showing Himself He expounded the Kingdom of God to them. But one must know what St. Luke means by the Kingdom of God. He does not mean by this Kingdom of God the life eternal, as is commonly taken, and as one could here superficially take it, to say, that the Kingdom of God is what we wait for by hope. But St.
Luke takes it for the spiritual government by which Jesus Christ keeps us in His obedience, until He has entirely reformed us to His image, and, having robbed us of this mortal body, He places us in heaven. That is what St. Luke wishes to say. But to see it more clearly, let us consider the opposite of the Kingdom of God, that is, the life of men who are given to their corrupt nature. In fact, if Jesus withdrew Himself from us, leaving us
to go as we would wish, we would be outside the Kingdom of God. For the Kingdom of God presupposes a reformation. But we bear only miseries and corruption’s in this world. Briefly we are wandering beasts and the devil rules over us, and he subjects us just as he wills. That is what man is until God has reformed him. So then, let us be apprised by that, to know what we are until Jesus Christ reforms us. What then? Do we wish a greater evil than this, that Satan possess us so and be our master? So we see (I say) what we are, until God, according to His infinite goodness, has extended His hand to us, indeed, to introduce us into His Kingdom, and be subjects to Him and to His justice. However, we see also how we ought to esteem this grace when it is given to us; and when Jesus Christ draws us to Himself. This is the felicity of men: that God be their King. It is true, although kings desire kingdoms to gain glory, nevertheless when there will be a Prince who will be endowed with excellent graces, each one will consider himself happy to be under his subjection. But when Jesus Christ rules over us, we have a King Who is not only endowed with many and excellent graces, but Who rules over us for our profit. In fact, do we bring Him any profit on our part? For we can neither add any more nor take away from Him. So we see that what I have said is very true, that we are blessed when God establishes His Royal throne in our midst to govern us.
This, then, is what we are taught in the second place: namely, to prize and esteem such a benefit when God gives it to us. Now the means is by His Gospel. Also that is why Jesus Christ spoke so often of the Gospel, calling it the Kingdom of God. (<400423>
Matthew 4:23, <400935>
9:35,
<402414>24:14; <410114>Mark 1:14) f227 For if we do not adhere to it, we are rebels against God and are excluded from all His benefits. For we cannot be sharers in it until we are reformed. That is what the Gospel does by calling us to Jesus Christ, and by showing us how we must be regenerated by His Holy Spirit. Since it is so, then when the Gospel is preached to us, it is in order that we may be reformed to Jesus Christ; and that everything that is of us may be cast down, and that Jesus Christ may raise us by His grace.
It is not, then, without cause that the Gospel is called “the Kingdom of God.” In fact, as without that the devil has dominion, on account of which he is also called “the king of this world,” so when Jesus Christ causes His Gospel to be preached in a country, it is as if He said, “I wish to have dominion over you and to be your King.” But that is not to say that all those who are in the country where the Gospel is are subjects to God. For
we see also how among them some raise themselves and show the iniquity which was previously hidden in them; others despise the doctrine, and there is no fruit at all of the Kingdom of God in them. But even so, Jesus Christ always has some company wherever the Gospel is preached. Why so? For He is not King without subjects. However, we can conclude that it is an inestimable benefit when God presents to us His Gospel. For what do we wish more than when Jesus Christ says to us, “Here am I. I take you into My charge, in order that you may be under My wings and under My protection”? What do we wish more than that? Now by the Gospel we have testimony that all that is given to us. That, then, is certain that when Jesus Christ so introduces us into His Kingdom, and receives us to Himself, it is furthermore to clothe us with immortality and incorruption, in order that we should enter into this glory which He has promised us.
When, then, we receive this Gospel, it is that we may enter into this Kingdom of God.
But what? It is only an entrance! We must march further in it. It is what He does when He withdraws us from this wretched captivity of sin; and we have the liberty which He promised us. So, then, it is not all to have entered, but we must: follow further, until we are fully united to Jesus Christ. In fact, we see that, although God has illumined us by His Holy Spirit, and though we desire to walk in His fear, and to know His goodness to put our confidence in it, yet there is still so much miserable infirmity in us, that we have to fight against many temptations; and we are often conquered. What of it, then? Is it enough to have entered? Not at all; but we must recognize that our life is a road f228 upon which we must always march until we have come to our Lord Jesus Christ. So the Kingdom of God must increase more and more, until we are stripped of sin. For we experience sufficiently every day how necessary it is that we be united to God as we ought. It is, then, a sign that God does not reign here as He ought. For if He reigned here, there would be neither nerve nor vein which did not unite us to Him. On the contrary we see so much rebellion when we wish to do what God teaches us. Seeing, then, that there is still such a resistance in us against God and His justice, it is a sign that He does not have dominion over us peaceably. For all that we have, indeed, even to the end of our nails, ought to lead to this — that the glory of God appeared and shone everywhere. On the contrary, from the top of the head to the feet, we see all resistance in us. That is how we can see that the Kingdom
of God is not fully accomplished. Yet we are admonished to march forward until God is to us all in all: namely, that He fills us so with
Himself that we are emptied of ourselves, even that we are divested of this body, and that we are raised in this glory which He has promised us.
The words, then, that Jesus Christ spoke to His Apostles, of the Kingdom of God, lead to this — that we renounce ourselves and all that is ours, that Jesus Christ raise His throne there, that He lead us, that we be entirely conformed to His justice, and that we seek only to follow Him as our sovereign King. Now I say that all this is addressed to us. Why? Because the Apostles have been taught not only for themselves, but for us. Let us note, then, that when the Gospel is announced to us, it is in order that we may leave this world; namely, all the wicked affections that we have in us, and all the vanities which hold us here below. We must be entirely changed and God must give us a new life. This is how we ought to profit by the Gospel that it may be truly the Kingdom of God, and that it may have such authority over us as belongs to it. However, let us recognize that God does not call us to Himself to hold us in a static condition, but that He may urge us on always, until He has led us to perfection; making known in us that the present life is, as it were, a sea full of all miseries. That is how Jesus tends to lead us into the heavenly Kingdom after we have entered into the Kingdom of God in this world.
He adds, that He forbade them to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the promise of God. All this is narrated for the building up of our faith. For we see how necessary it is that this point be assured and made certain to us; namely, that the doctrine of the Gospel was not invented by men, but that God sent it from heaven. This, then, must be put beyond all doubt. How will it be, unless it be well shown us and made very sure that Jesus Christ so sent His Apostles that they were not led at all by their own impulse, by their counsel, or by their will; but that God sent them, and dictated to them their lesson, and that they had intelligence of this doctrine, not by their senses, but by the Holy Spirit? One must note, then, that St. Luke says here, that He often expounded this doctrine to them, in order that they might be so much better informed on it and they might not go astray. Beyond that he says they would have to be illuminated by the Holy Spirit, in order that they might be emptied of all human wisdom, and that it might be known that their doctrine was a work of God. Let us note that, then, in order that our faith may be always fixed upon God, as an
anchor, to be firm. For among creatures we shall not find anything which does not flow like water, and our faith will be poorly founded there. But when it shall be in God, we are not at all subject to wavering, but we shall remain firm. That is why it was forbidden to the Apostles to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the promise. In that we see their
obedience, for according to the reason of men they could have replied,
“How is this? Are we not Apostles of God? Have we not authority to preach His Word? Do we not know how to execute our office?” They had some reason to say this. For what purpose had God instituted them in this office, unless they were to perform it? But they knew that it was He Whom they must obey. Woe to the man who wishes to advance and get to work before God drives him to it. On the contrary, when God sends him;
he must not strive at all, but say, “Lord, here am I, use me.” That is how St. Luke shows that the Apostles were rendered obedient to Jesus Christ when He forbade them to leave Jerusalem until they had received the promise of God. By that we see that the grace of the Holy Spirit had already worked in them. For a little before that they were bewildered, they left their Master, they no longer knew what the assistance of God was, and His safekeeping. They let themselves be scattered by Satan. But why?
Then God exercised toward them the grace of hearing His voice, now He needs only make a gesture with His finger, and they obey. If He forbids them something, they do not attempt it. But on the contrary, when He commands them to march, there is neither resistance nor difficulty which holds them back.
So then, we see that God must work in us to bring us to such subjection.
For otherwise, when He will say “Hold back” we will wish to march, and when He will wish us to begin to march forward, we shall fall back. That is how we are by our nature. We have such a good example of it in the Jews.
For if we read how they behaved themselves, even after having been delivered from Egypt, we find in them a great ingratitude. For when God commands them to march against their enemies, and promises to them that He will give them victory, they are not willing to march, but they murmur against God, “Indeed, where are we going? It seems that He wishes to destroy us, and sends us like sheep to the slaughter-house.” Behold, their rebellion. On the contrary, when God says to them, “Do not move,” they wish to march, and no one can hold them back. “And why?” they say.
“We are losing time. Shall we not march?” That is how men wish to march